3 year Post-Op Update...

[FlowerGalTX]

It is hard to believe that it has been 3 years since my GS on Nov 1st, 2011. Since that time I lost 60 pounds. I stopped losing weight about a year in. However, I did not stop gaining non-scale victories in my life. There were many things that I thought I couldn't do until I reached goal. I did them anyways. I went on mission trips. I chaperoned school functions. I worked on Habitat for Humanity builds. I had a ton of success on writing projects. I finished a couple college degrees. I am currently in training to be a platform vocalist at a mega church in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Every single goal that my surgeon Dr. David Kim had me write out prior to surgery, I achieved with the exception of reaching goal weight. (More about that.)

Losing 60 pounds completely allowed me to see myself in a different way - as a beautiful, beloved, treasured daughter of God and I because fiercely invested in valuing myself, my life and my day and seeing all of me as a gift - extra skin and extra weight and all. A gift.

After my sleeve, I realized that my weight problems were also affected by hormones. I had a hysterectomy a year ago and have worked hard with my endocrinologist to figure out my post-thyroid cancer dosage of thyroid meds.

Additional positives - I'm scheduled for a breast reduction in a few weeks - completely approved by insurance and completely paid for by insurance. This is possible. Read your insurance's guidelines and be diligent and pursue this if this is necessary for you. My plastic surgeon, my chiropractor and my dermatologist and their letters of medical necessity were a necessary part of my team to get this procedure approved and available to me. I'm grateful. With a 60 pound loss, I lost zero inches in my chest area.

Going to the extent that I did to have this gastric sleeve procedure and then not reach goal weight has been disappointing but I plan to plug back into more accountability with you all as far as exercise goes and see if I can't get there in 2015.

Many people have asked me - since I am an "old timer" at 3 years out - if I still have restriction or any complications. Yes, I still have restriction. No, I do not EVER feel hunger. Yes, I do still struggle with drinking all of my water in a daily. I have zero, absolutely no, issues with any foods or drinks. I could eat anything but choose not to.

Most of my "friends" on here haven't logged on in over a year so I look forward to meeting new folks and trying to reconnect with my Sleeve Buddies that I'm not already friends with IRL.

[Ann2]

Welcome, Wendy. Sounds like you have some interesting stuff on your plate. Congratulations on your 60 pounds weight loss and good luck on losing your last 49 pounds.

[DeeFranklin14]

Thank you! It is so nice to see what i have to look forward to! Congrats on all of your NSV accomplishments!

[Jasper60]

welcome back! I see my surgeon in a few weeks for the first time and lately have been questioning my decision to do this. I just read an article about a woman who lost more than 200 lbs without WLS. But I haven't been able to lose more than 40 and I always gain it back. At 54, I just don't see me doing it on my own. But I wonder. Can I stand just eating a few bites at a time? I need this tool but I get a little scared. Could you please tell us more about how you feel about this surgery and how it has affected your life- how you have adjusted to the major changes. Thanks and God bless you beautiful daughter of God!

[Redab051]

Thanks for the information I feel you can do this. God will see you thru it... I believe it possible to do anything we have faith to do....

Keep up the great Job...

[terrora]

HI Jasper
I am 53 and know what you are talking about. The weight is stubborn as you get older. Everyone is different with the sleeve. I can eat a lot more than a few bites. Last night I had 2/3 of a stuffed pepper (no veggie, just the meat) I can eat half a cup of noodle soup, 1/2- 2/3 of a lean cuisine, depending on the day. I can eat as many grapes as I want (but I measure them). I can eat as much cheese as I want,,not sure when the full factor is with cheese is as I measure that too. I can eat about 3-4 oz of chicken.
The thing is that you can always over eat if you choose.You can eat slider foods if you just want to eat for pleasure (sometimes I do but I just count the calories. For instance, toast doesn't really fill me up,,I don't think. I eat one piece and I am done. I eat it a couple times a week. I don't know if I could eatmore as I am satisfied with one)and eat more. I have had a whole small bag of baked lays once. I ate them over the course of the day.
The think is that you just don't WANT as much as you used to eat. I am more than happy to stop at very small portions. Food doesn't have the same appeal.I was like you before. I talked to a lady who had the surgery and I thought there was no way I could give up food. But it isn't such a big deal.
And the weight loss makes it even easier to deal with.

[GoAllTheWeigh]

Loved reading your story...3 years out! You sound so happy and well adjusted. What does it mean that you "still have restriction"? Do you mean that you have not stretched your stomach? I am confused whether you are referring to something else, that I don't know about? My surgery is scheduled for Dec. 15th. Safe and fast healing with your breast reduction!

[FlowerGalTX]

Jasper, I do not regret having this procedure as it gave me a physical and emotional jump start I needed to lose weight and stop making excuses for not living my life. Any weight loss journey is full of layers. I didn't put the weight on at once and I won't take it off at once. I had to do some soul searching and get real honest about what I was eating, when I was eating and why I was eating.

It is very easy to sabotage a sleeve. Especially if one is like me and had / have zero issues with any food, no reflux, no vomiting, no gastric/digestive issues. The only real "major" change I experience is the limit in the amount of food I can eat at one time.

I still have to honor "satiated". Which means, I need to really ask myself if I am truly hungry before I eat anything.

I struggle with drinking water so I have daily water goals that I have to achieve. It's almost like a kid going to the potty - I get "check marks" telling me "good job". =) lol

Can a person lose weight without getting sleeve - absolutely - but it will require very strict dedication to get beyond the hurdle of hungry that we don't have once the size of our stomach is reduced.

[FlowerGalTX]

Loved reading your story...3 years out! You sound so happy and well adjusted. What does it mean that you "still have restriction"? Do you mean that you have not stretched your stomach? I am confused whether you are referring to something else, that I don't know about? My surgery is scheduled for Dec. 15th. Safe and fast healing with your breast reduction!

I still have restriction which means I can still feel the limits of my sleeve and have not stretched out my stomach. =)

[ShannaBanana]

Keep up the good work!!!!! I was excited when i was finally able to do things I could never do. It's a great feeling.

[Jasper60]

thanks Terrora, that helps a lot. Just some fear I need to get over. I really want to succeed with this. Blessings!

[tiffatavon]

Hey there! Dr Kim was my surgeon almost 3 years ago. I lost 30 before surgery and lost 60 as well with surgery. I did not reach my goal either. I still have 50 more pounds to loose and boy is it tough!! My sleeve is still the same size as well according to the barium swallow I did a few months ago. I am also a singer like you! Im curious as to which mega church you are training for? We go to Gateway. Im not singing with them, right now being committed is tough with a family and a full time job. Are you on the private FB dr kim patient only group? Its great!

[xray4u]

Congratulations on your accomplishments! Thank you for sharing your story.

[EverLearning]

I LOVED hearing your success. The weight is only a number and your life as a daughter of God is so much fuller. Good for you on all levels!

[bigguy]

Thanks for the update and I am 2 years and you hit the nail on the head as I have all the same things. Apart from the breast reduction of course....!